


Endings, Beginnings.

by missrhondalee



Category: Laverne & Shirley (TV)
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, New Year's Eve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:28:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28259223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/missrhondalee/pseuds/missrhondalee
Summary: Laverne isn't looking forward to the new year...
Relationships: Laverne DeFazio/Carmine Ragusa
Kudos: 1





	Endings, Beginnings.

Laverne DeFazio sighed heavily thinking about her future. Or most likely lack thereof. Hopefully 1968 wasn't going to suck as much as 1967 did but she was pessimistic. She was going to enter the new year pathetically single unless a miracle occurred before midnight and looking up at the sky, there wasn't even a star to wish upon. Yep, even the universe wanted her alone forever. Half an hour from now, most of the people inside her living room were going to kiss their significant other when the clock would strike midnight. Since Laverne knew she wasn't going to be one of them, she opted to avoid being in the apartment altogether. Knowing people were in love was one thing but watching them? She'd rather get hit by oncoming traffic. Which she was honestly contemplating as she watched the cars go by.

It was all Rhonda's fault anyway. She'd insisted Laverne should have a New Years Eve party saying that it would be an occasion to meet new people but Laverne knew the only reason it was taking place in her apartment was because Rhonda's place was too small for her entire address book! The only people she even knew at this party was pretty much Rhonda obviously, Carmine and Squiggy and she was actually trying to avoid Squig because he's been teasing her all evening about having no date. He was already a pain in the ass in a normal time but tonight? Laverne had to control herself not to kick him repeatedly. She didn't understand how he'd even managed to get a date in the first place but then again she figured the girl couldn't be all that bright if she went out with him in the first place. Laverne however knew she was becoming pathetic for envying him. Your life officially sucked if you were jealous of Andrew Squiggman of all people.

Her life hadn't always been this depressing. It pretty much all started going downhill eight months ago when she came home to a handwritten note from Shirley. Her best friend had packed up and left without notice. Shirley managed to call her a few weeks later but even Laverne could feel she'd forced herself. Like maybe she'd wanted to clear her conscience. She had every right to move on with her life but the way she did it was just downright rotten and Shirley knew she had to apologize for it when guilt started keeping her up at night. Sure, Laverne did tell her off royally but deep down she also understood. Her best friend had dreamed her entire life of finding Mr. Right and if the roles had been reversed, Laverne knew she would have done the same thing. She'd been really upset though in the beginning. Wouldn't you be if your best friend for all these years, whom you'd shared so much of your life with just abandoned you? She'd managed to get on with her life after a while but it wasn't the same anymore. Her insecurities were indescribable now and she's been in this constant depressing state ever since. She just wondered when it would finally be her turn, you know? Her turn at someone who would like her back. Although she wouldn't admit it and certainly not to Shirl, Laverne also deep down dreamed of finding her Mr. Right one of these days. Sadly for her, the only guys she's dated in the past year were all married losers so clearly, it wasn't looking good. A familiar voice called her name just as she was taking a sip from her red plastic cup. Needless to say, she was grateful to whoever spiked the punch.

“There you are. What are you doing out here all by yourself?”

Laverne looked up at Carmine, “You wouldn't be avoiding your own party by any chance?”

“It's that obvious, huh?”

Carmine sat beside her. “I'm afraid so.”

“Squiggy doesn't know I'm out here, does he?”

Carmine chuckled, “No. You're safe. What's he done now?”

“He's just being his usual irksome self. I don't know.” she whined, “I just can't deal with people tonight.”

“Uh oh, does that include me?”

Carmine was actually the only one who didn't drive her up the wall these days and that included her father. Ever since he's been elected councilman, his priorities changed and she wasn't a big fan of those politician friends of his. She'd tried to tell him they were jerks but every time she did, they'd end up fighting so she gave up. Frank was so busy now and she knew he wasn't going to be around forever so the time she spent with him, she made sure it was pleasant. The good side about his new life was that he wasn't on her case 24/7 about getting married and having grandchildren anymore. Or maybe he realized it would never happen for her and just gave up?

“Nah. You're all right.”

He laughed again, “Just 'all right'?”

Laverne almost smiled elbowing him playfully. Shirley leaving the way she did certainly changed things around here. In the first couple of weeks after her departure, Frank asked Carmine to keep an eye on his daughter from time to time to make sure she would be okay. Sure, at first Carmine was just doing it as a favor to her father but it was different now. Having to keep an eye out meant spending time together and he'd started enjoying Laverne's company more than he'd cared to admit. They actually got along pretty great which was something they'd never been able to figure out in the past with Shirley always forbidding them to even look at each other without going ballistic.

He heard her sigh loudly as she took another sip of her drink and that worried him. “How many of these have you had tonight?”

“Clearly not enough.”

She appeared to be joking but deep down Carmine knew she was dead serious.

“The holidays getting to you, huh?” Christmas had been all right or so Carmine thought. What he didn't know was that when she came home from Cowboy Bill's that evening, Laverne ended up stuffing her face of chocolates drinking eggnog until she actually lamely passed out on the couch. The twenty minutes she spent throwing up in the bathroom on Christmas morning surely was a memory she wished she could erase.

Laverne shrugged, “Carmine, why aren't things working out for me? Why am I always such a loser-”

“You're not a loser.”

“Well, I certainly ain't a winner.”

He repeated she wasn't a loser. “Then why do I feel like one?”

“Because you compare yourself to Shirley and you shouldn't.”

“Why not? She's got the perfect life and what do I have? Zilch.”

“You've got me.”

She placed a hand on his knee. “You're certainly a great guy and friend.”

“I could be more than that.” Carmine said now, surprising both of them. Sure, he was thinking it and he's been thinking it for a while. He sort of started developing feelings for Laverne a few weeks ago but too afraid of her reaction, he'd decided to keep the secret to himself. Until now.

Laverne blinked. “What do you mean?” did she hear him right or did she just have one too many drinks and her brain was playing tricks on her?

“I think you know.”

Now to say she'd never thought of Carmine as more than just a friend, even more in the past year would be a flat-out lie. But Laverne had always refused to go there _again_ because of Shirley. They'd already tried years ago and not only had it been disastrous and that was an understatement but it had almost destroyed her friendship with Shirley when she found out. Okay, she wasn't here anymore so obviously that wouldn't be an obstacle now.

Laverne reminded him of their fling back in Milwaukee. “I remember Bucky Beaver there...”

“And I remember brillo head. But it's different now. I mean, it would be.”

For starters, they wouldn't have to sneak around which was a huge plus for an honest relationship and they were both Italian which was an added bonus when it came to her pop. Okay, Carmine did date Shirley for more than a decade but Frank did choose him to keep an eye on his daughter so the guy was definitely okay in his book.

“I can't afford to lose any more friends.” she honestly didn't have the energy for new friendships anymore and Laverne knew if she lost Carmine then that would be it. She couldn't lead a life where her circle of friends would consist of Squiggy and Rhonda...and Chuck the nut. Good God.

“You won't lose me.”

“How can you be sure of that?”

“Because I can't afford to lose you, too.”

“You're serious about this?”

Laverne didn't need a verbal answer. Just looking into his eyes was enough to know. The guests began to count down suddenly and neither had realized they were just seconds from entering the new year. “So, what do you say?”

Kissing him was her response as the fireworks began to go off. She didn't know what 1968 had to offer but this leap of faith was one way to find out.


End file.
